In the 4th round of the Ukrainian Premier League, Dynamo Kyiv hosted Polissya Zhytomyr at home.
This was the first home game of the season for the “white-and-blues” in the capital. Tickets had sold out in advance and the players were eager to delight their fans with both an attractive performance and a positive result.
However, things started poorly for Oleksandr Shovkovskyi’s men. In the 7th minute visitors took the lead. Mykhailychenko crossed from the left, Hutsulyak headed the ball across the goalmouth and Yosefi tapped it in from close range past Neshcheret – 0:1.
Moments later Dynamo were forced into an early substitution, with Brazhko replacing Mykhailenko. Polissya continued to push forward and Nazarенко was just inches away from converting a far-post cross.
But in the 21st minute Dynamo equalized out of nowhere. Polissya goalkeeper Kudryk delayed his pass after receiving the ball from a defender, Guerrero pressed, intercepted and slotted past the keeper – 1:1.
The visitors replied with a curling effort from Hutsulyak, which Neshcheret saved, but the momentum had already shifted to Dynamo. In the 32nd minute Voloshyn burst into the box, was brought down by Chobotенко and the referee pointed to the spot. Captain Buialskii converted with confidence – 2:1.
Now Polissya had to chase the game. They created chances: Yosefi’s cross was blocked by Mykhavko and Chobotенко headed wide from a corner.
Just before halftime Dynamo extended their lead. Guerrero picked out Voloshyn with a superb pass on the right side of the box, Voloshyn squared for Buialskii who struck first-time into the corner – 3:1.
In added time Guerrero nearly scored himself after a pass from Brazhko but Kudryk denied him. Soon after the restart Dynamo struck again. In the 50th minute Voloshyn received a pass from Karavaiev on the right, beat the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into the far corner – 4:1.
For ambitious Polissya a heavy defeat was never in the plan but their finishing let them down. Tallеs came close to converting Veleten’s cross but Dynamo looked more dangerous. Ponomarenko’s long-range effort tested Kudryk, Voloshyn hit the crossbar from distance and Korniychuk almost scored an own goal with a misplaced backpass.
The final whistle confirmed a comeback but also a confident victory for Dynamo. Up next is an international break, after which Dynamo will return to action on September 13 in the Kyiv derby against Obolon.
